seeds: the future of our food

Seeds: The Future of Our Food

The Potato Famine

• ~1845-1850• Potato disease—late blight• Wide-spread hunger and disease• Potato monocultures

Corn Blight

• 1970• Fungus: Southern Corn Leaf

Blight• Attacked the cytoplasm of

the hybrid corn: T-cytoplasm• 80% of U.S. corn in 1970 was

this hybrid variety = 46 million acres

• Monocultures

Heirloom vs. Hybrid

HYBRID (F1)• The result of artificially

crossing two plants together

• Seeds do not produce “true to type” plants like the parents

• Bred for industrial traits.• Reduce genetic diversity

HEIRLOOM• Open pollination• Adapted to particular

places• Saved for their adaptive

benefits• Greater genetic

diversity

Values of Heirloom Crops

DIVERSITY

TASTE

ADAPTATION

CULTURE

Seed Saving

• One of the oldest traditions of civilization• Keeps alive traditional agricultural and

culinary practices, essential for the stability of cultures

• Must be open pollinated• Enhances biodiversity

GMOs

• Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)• Biotechnologies• Genetic engineering / Gene transfer• 1992: FlavrSavr Tomato• Terminator genes• Bt: New Leaf Potatoes

Values

• Efficiency

• Industrialization

• Output

• Uniformity

GMOs around US and the World

• GMOs are now grown in 42 countries on 6 continents

• Currently, over 1 billion acres of land contain GMO crops. 2/3 of this acreage is in USA.

• 70% of products on grocery shelves in USA contain GMO ingredients

http://www.siskiyoucoop.com/class/15GMO.pdf

GMO Crops• Soybeans• Corn• Cotton• Tomatoes• Potatoes• Rapeseed

(Canola Oil) • Sugar cane• Sweet Corn• Rice

The Potential Risks of GMOs toPeople and Environment

PROS• Reduced pesticide use

initially• Convenient • Short term resistance

initially• Initial higher yield

CONS• Unknown risks to human

health and environment• Long term resistance• Cross pollination with non-

GMOs• Loss of biodiversity• Ethical considerations• Loss of ability to save seed

Alternatives to GMOs

• Seeds of Trust• Native Seed/SEARCH• Community Seed Banks

• Seed Exchanges• CSAs and Farmers Markets• Community Gardens• GMO labeling